WEST LAFAYETTE — Some residents took a stand and told the West Lafayette City Council Monday that they don't want the city to start collecting trash and recycling.

The West Lafayette City Council is considering an ordinance that would provide trash and recycling services to residents who live outside city limits but are connected to the city's sewer lines.

But there's a mixture of people who want the services and those who don't. The ordinance, if passed, would require all those connected to the sewer lines to use West Lafayette as their exclusive trash and recycling collectors.

Bob Sorensen, who lives in the Orchard subdivision, told the council he's opposed to having the city pick up his trash.

By switching to the city's trash collection, residents in their area would end up paying about $3 more a month, he said, but it would increase recycling pickup in the area from bi-weekly to once a week.

"So there's a cost and a benefit, and our homeowners in the Orchard simply said it's not worth it," Sorensen said.

He suggested the council consider modifying the ordinance so some neighborhoods can opt-out of using West Lafayette's trash service.

"I think the whole issue is mandating something to a group that doesn't need to take it," Sorensen said. "I don't think your model fails if you take small homeowners associations out of it."

West Lafayette charges $16 for weekly trash and recycling pickup. Street Commissioner Ben Anderson said the city doesn't make money off trash pickup and that it's just another service they can offer. And right now, he said the timing is right.

"We're at a point that routes aren't balanced properly," he said.

So while the Street and Sanitation Department begins to redistrict the routes, Anderson said adding additional neighborhoods would be a good idea now rather than later.

By extending services to all residences that are connected to the sewer lines, it would add about 1,100 new trash collection customers. The city picks up trash and recycling at about 5,200 homes currently within the city limits.

The city won't need to add more trucks to their fleet by picking up the additional trash and recycling, Anderson said.

Jay Smith, who lives in Apple Ridge subdivision, echoed Sorensen's desire to stay away from using the city's trash pick up services.

"We like the competitive environment for garage collection that currently exists," he said. "Please don't impose your will on people who are not your citizens and who cannot vote in your elections."

Some people connected to the city's sewer lines have contacted the Street and Sanitation Department about connecting their trash services, Anderson said.

Jessica Schneider, who has city sewer lines, said she would like to receive the city's trash services.

"I really just want to let you know there are some of us that really do want that service," Schneider said. "Some of us are excited."

The West Lafayette City Council tabled the vote to its November meeting. Councilmen Norris Wang and Steve Dietrich asked for the city's attorney to look into adding opt-out language to the ordinance.

"We feel like we're offering an outstanding product," said West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis, who sponsored the ordinance.

"When you're looking at it from an efficiency, it's just a logical next step."

Dennis said he thinks having an opt-out option included in the ordinance would "create more problems than it could solve."

"When we talk about that option of an opt-out, we have to be cautious," Dennis said. "It has to fit our overall operational plans of redistricting our trash pickup. ... If we were to piece meal the trash pickup, it would defeat the purpose of doing this operation as a whole."